Machine for bundling or compressing broom-corn.



No. 869,358. PATENTBD OCT. 29. 1907. J. F. FOLEY. MACHINE FOR BUNDLING0R OOMPRESSING BROOM 001w.

APPLICATION TILED MAB 22, 19074 2 SHEBTSSHEET 1.

ms mmms PETERS cu., WASHINGTON, u. c.

No. 869,358. PATENTED OCT. 29. 1907.

J. F. FOLEY.

MACHINE FOR BUNDLING OR OOMPRBSSING BROOM OORN.

' APPLICATION FILED-MAR. 22, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 21 NORRIS PETERS ca, wAsFuNGTom-n.

UNITED STATES JAMES F. FOLEY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MACHINE FOR BUNDLING OR COMPRESSING BROOM-CORN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 29, 1907.

Application filed March 22. 1907. Serial No. 363.979.

To all ll.']10llt it may concern:

Be it known that I, .lanss F. FOLEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of (ook and State of Illinois, haveinvtatted certain new and useful improvements in Machines for Bundlingor Compressing Broom-Corn and the Like, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to machines for bundling or compressing broomcorn and the like, and the primary object of the same is to provide animproved, simple and efficient machine of this character for bundlingbroom corn and the like and for compressing the same to the desireddensity.

A further object. is to provide improved means for compressing thebundle substantially equal throughout its entire length.

A. further object is to provide improved means for applying pressure atintervals throughout the length of the bundle and improved means wherebythe pres sure at certain points may be increased without necessarilyincreasing the pressure at the other points.

To the attaimnent of these ends and the accomplishment of other new anduseful objects as will appear, the invention consists in features ofnovelty in the construction, combination and arrangement of the severalparts hereinafter more fully described and claimed and shown in theaccompanying drawings illustrating an exemplitieation of the invention,and in which;*-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an improved machine of this characterconstructed in accordance with the principles of this invention. Fig. .3is a front elevation of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of Fig. 2,showing one side of the frame lowered for the removal of the bundle orshock. Fig. 1 is a detailed sectional view on line -1--1t of Fig. 3.

lleretofore, in compressing broom corn into bundles or shocks,considerable difficulty has been experienced in that when the shocks areplaced into position to be compressed and the bundle is formed, thelatter will be thicker or larger at a point intermediate its ends owingto the fact that the branches of the stalks are so located as to causethe body of the bundle to be larger when the ends are compressed. Inorder to overcome this objection and difficulty, this improved machinehas been provided for compressing the bundle substatitially equalthroughout its length and to cause additional. pressure to be exertedupon the enlarged or thickened portion without necessarily increasingthe pressure at the other points, so that when the bundle or shock iscompressed and bound it will be of substantially the same diameter ordensity throughout its entire length.

Referring more particularly to the drawings and in this exemplificationof the invention, this improved machine comprises suitable base 10 ofany desired size and configuration, and extending upwardly from thecorners thercofare standards or uprights 1112. These standards oruprights may be of any desired height, and secured across the upper endsthereof are cross-bars Iii-14.

Secured in any desired manner and extending across the base 11.0, andwith their extremities connected respectivel y to the uprights orstandards 1l-12, are cross-bars 15*],(3 and these cross-bars arepreferably located a short distance above the base 10 and serve assupports for the members 1.7, which latter constitute the support forthe material to be compressed. Any suitable number of these members 17may be provided and are preferably spaced from each other. In thisexemplitication of the invention four of these members 17 are employed,and each is preferably constructed of metal preferably of a channelformation, the extremi ties of which are open and flattened as at 18.These members 17 are also preferably of a semi-circular formation andare so arranged that the body portion thereof will stand between thecross-bars 15-16 with the flattened portions 18 resting respectivelyupon the upper faces of said bars, and these members may be held orsecured in position in any desired or suitable manner, preferably bymeans of screws or nails 19 passing through the flattened portions 18and into the crossbai's 15lti.

) Secured between the standards 1112 adjacent one side of the base is aboard or member 20 which is preferably of a height to extend somedistance above the adjacent member 17, and the standards 11-12 above theboard or member 20 are preferably provided with cooperating channels orgrooves 22 adapted to receive the ends of suitable boards or members L3(shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1) which extend between the standards oruprights and form a closure for the side of the frame. Pivot-allymounted between the standards or uprights ill-12 on the other side ofthe frame work is a suitable door or closure 24. This door or closure ispreferably hinged at its lower end, as at 2 1 shown more clearly in Fig.2 of the drawings so that itmay be tilted down into the position shownin Fig. 3 to permit the bundle being removed from the machine. When inits closed or upright position, the sides of the door or closure 24 willstand between the adjacent uprights or standards 11 12 extending forsubstantially the entire length thereof, and said door or closure may beheld against displacement in any desired or suitable manner, preferablyby means of a bar or rod 25, which extends across the outer face of thedoor or closure and rests in suitable brackets or supports 26 on theadjacc'nt uprights or standards 11-12.

Journalcd across the front of the frame, and in suitable brackets 27,which latter are preferably secured to the uprights 11 is a shaft 28,and secured to this shaft for rotation therewith, preferablyintermediate the ends thereof, is a double drum or pulley 29, whichlatter is preferably provided with ratchet teeth 30 adapted to beengaged with a suitable pawl or dog 31 pivotally mounted upon a suitablesupport, and said pawl or dog 31 is adapted to lock the shaft 28 againstretrograde movement, Loosely mounted upon the shaft 28 and adjacent eachend of the drum or pulley 29 is a drum or pulley 32 which are preferablyprovided with a circumferential groove 33, in the ends thereof adjacentthe standards 11 and secured to a suitable support such as the brackets27, are clips 34, the ends of which are hdapted to enter the respectivegroove 33 in the drum or pulley 32 to hold said drums or pulleys againstlongitudinal movement on the shaft 28. These drums or pulleys 32 areeach provided with ratchet teeth 35 adapted to be engaged by suitabledogs or pawls 36 pivotally mounted upon a suitable support and said dogsor pawls are adapted to lock the drums or pulleys 32 against retrogrademovement.

The drums or pulleys 32 are each provided with ratchet faces 37, andsaid ratchets are located preferably adjacent the respective faces ofthe double druln or pulley 29. Slidingly mounted upon the shaft 28 andbetween the respective ends of the drum or pulley 29 and the drum orpulley 32 is a clutch member 39 which is provided with ratchet teethadapted to cooperate with the ratchet faces 37 of the respective drum orpulley 32. These clutch members 39 are preferably keyed to the shaft 28so as to rotate therewith, and when the clutch members 39 are in theposition shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, shaft 28 will rotateindependent of the drums or pulleys 32, but when the clutch members 39are moved into such a position that the ratchet faces thereof willengage the respective ratchet faces 37, the drums or pulleys 32 will belocked for rotation with the shaft 28.

Any suitable means may be provided for shifting the clutch members 39, asuitable and eflicient means for accomplishing this purpose comprisingthe operating levers or handles 40 which are pivotally secured to asuitable support 41, and said operating levers 40 are preferablyprovided with yoke extremities 42 (see Fig. 3 of the drawings) havingprojections 43 therein adapted to enter suitable grooves 44 in theclutch members 39.

Secured to one extremity of the shaft 28 is a suitable gear wheel 45, bymeans of which the shaft 28 may be rotated.

A shaft 46 is mounted in suitable bearings 47, and secured to said shaftis a worm gear 48 and said worm gear is adapted to mesh with the teethof the gear wheel 45 as shown more clearly in Fig. l of the drawings.The end of the shaft 46 is preferably angular as at 49 and adapted toreceive a suitable wrench by means of which the shaft 46 may be rotated.The rotation of the shaft 46 will impart motion to the worm gear 48 torotate the gear 45 and the shaft 28.

The shaft 46 is mounted in the bearings 47 for longitudinal movementwhereby the worm gear 48 may be bodily moved out of engagement with thegear wheel 45 to the dotted position as shown in Fig. l of the drawings.

A suitable pinion wheel 50 is journaled in suitable bearings adjacentthe gear wheel 45, and said pinion 50 is placed in such a position as toengage the gear 45. The extremity 51 of the axle of the pinion 50 ispreferably angular in shape and adapted to receivea suitable wrench bymeans of which the pinion 50 may be roclosed and secured in its closedposition.

tated to rotate the gear 45 andthe shaft 46 when the worm gear 48 ismoved out of engagement with the gear 45 and into the position shown inFig. 1 of the drawings for the purposes to be set forth.

The double drum or pulley 29 is preferably located adjacent oneextremity of the central members 17, and the drums or pulleys 32 arerespectively located adjacent the corresponding extremities of the outermembers l7. Suitable flexible members 52, such as ropes or cables or thelike are secured by one extremity to the drums or pulleys 32, andsimilar flexible members 53 are secured by one extremity to the doubledrum or pulley 29. Any suitable means may be provided for securing theextremities of these flexible members to their respective drum orpulley. A suitable and ellicient means for accomplishing this purposecomprises an eye bolt 54 which is secured to the respective drum orpulley and the free extremities of the flexible members are inserted inthe eye of the respectivebolt and secured thereto. The body portions ofthese flexible members 5253 are adapted to rest in the respectivechannel shaped members 17 and extend for the entire length thereof andbeyond the outer extremities. Any suitable means may be provided forsecuring the free extremities of the flexible members. A suitable andeflicient means for accomplishing this purpose comprises clampingmembers 55, one of which is secured adjacent each of the members 17 andinto which the extremity of the respective flexible member is adapted tobe inserted in operation the flexible member is placed within orthreaded through the respective channel shaped mem ber 17, and its freeend is inserted within the clamping member 55 as shown more clearly inFig. 4 of the drawings, and the flexible member being unwound from therespective drum or pulley, after which the side boards or members 23 areremoved and the door or closure 24 is placed in the position as shown inFigs. 2 and 3. With the flexible members in position the broom corn isplaced upon the members 17 and in such a position that the butt endsthereof will rest againstthe member 20 and the frame is filled with thebroom corn to a depth substantially equal to the height of the member20. After this portion of the broom corn has been straightened by theoperator, one of the members 23 may be placed in position by insertingthe ends thereof in the grooves or channels 22 and allowing it to restupon the upper edge of the member 20. When in position, more broom cornis placed in the'frame work and the same operation is performed untilthe frame work has been substantially filled with broom corn, that is,until the broom corn reaches the upper edge of the uppermost board ormember 23. The machine being thus full of broom corn. the door orclosure 24 may be The extremities of the flexible members 52-53 are thenremoved from the clamping members 55 and the flexible member passesupwardly over the top of the broom corn, then down again in front of thepile of broom corn and is then threaded through the channel member 17,the formation of this member readily permitting the eX tremity of theflexible member to pass under the pile of broom corn. After theextremity of the flexible member has been passed under the pile of broomcorn it is again placed in the clamping member 55 and secured inposition. Rotation may be their imparted to the shaft 46. It the wormgear -18 thereon is in the position shown in dotted lilies in l ig. '1',the shai't may be pushed forward until the worm engages the gear 45 andwhen in engagement with said gear, as shown in full lines in Fig. l, thecontinued rotation of this shalt will, through the medium oi the gearto, impart rotation to the shaft 28. The drums or pulleys 32 beinglocked for rotation with the shalt, said drums together with the dorrbledrum or pulley 29 will also rotate With the shaft 28 to wind the end oithe res pecti\'e cable upon the drum, which will draw the flexible.members 5253 tightly around the broom corn, compressing it into ashocker bundle.

it it is desired to impart a rapid rotation to the gear 4-5 to quicklycompress the broom corn at first, rotation may be imparted to the pinionwheel 50 instead oi to the shaft 46, and ii the power is applied by thismeans, the shait may be rotated until the bundle is nearly compressed,after which power may be applied to the shalt 46.

Owing to the arrangement; oi the stalks or branches oi the broom corn,the ends thereol' will be compressed more rapidly than the centralportion, and ii sullicicnt pressure is exerted upon the ends oi thebundle or shock to compress the central portion thereof to the desireddensity, the tlexible members 52-52i would tend to cut or break thestalks. In order to overcome this objection and to apply additionalpressure to the thickest poi tion oi the shock or brindle, the drums orpulleys 32 may be unlocked irom the sha it 28 by means oi the operatinglevers -il0 and the ends oi the bundle Will be held under the desiredtension by means oi the dogs or pawls 36. When these drums or pulleys 32have been thus released, the shalt 28 may be further rotated by means oithe shaft it and as the double drum or pulley 29 is secured ior rotationwith the shaft, the flexible member 53 will be iurthcr wound upon thedrum or pulley 2t) and will compress the central portion of the shock orbundle to the desired density and when properly compressed so that thebundle will be substantially oi the same diameter throughout its length,the tension may be retained upon the said central portion by means oithe dog or pawl 31. Thus it will be seen that with this improvedconstruction oi machine a greater compression may be applied to thethickest portion oi the bundle or shock without necessarily increasingthe compression upon the other parts. After the bundle has been thuscompressed, the bale ties may be applied and secured thereto in anydesired or suitable manner.

of applying these bale tics is to thread or pass one ex- A suitable andetliciout manner 1 l l l l tremity oi the bale tie or band through thechannel member 17, and passing same around the bundle or i shock, tobring their ends in engagement so that they may be twisted or otherwisesecured. Alter being thus secured, the flexible members 52-53 may bereleased from the clamping members 55, the door or closure 24 turneddown to the position shown in Figs. 2

and 3, and the bundle or shock removed from the machine.

If desired, suitable bars or rods may be disposed between the uprights11 and uprights 12 with their oxtremities engaging the base 10 and therespective crossbars l314, to serve the purpose of preventing the bodyportion of the stalks irom passing through the iront and roar of theframe.

in order that the invention might be iully understood by those skilledin the art, the details oi the foregoing embodiment therooi have beenthus specifically described, but

What i claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is;-

.l. The combination of a support upon which the material to becompressed is placed, a plurality ot' comprcssion members, means L'orcausing said members to simul iancously compress the material and meansfor causing one or said members to further compress the nmtoiialindependently ot' the other member.

L. The combination of a support. upon which the nm tcrial to becompressed is plat-rd. a plurality of colnprcssion members, means forsimultaneously adjusting the members to compress the material. nlcnnsfor retaining the members in their adjusted position to maintain thematerial under compression, and means l'or permitting an independent:nljustnn-nt ol' one oi. the nn-mbers to further compress the materialat the point adjacent said member.

II. The combination of a supporting member upon which the material to becompressed is placed. a plurality of llcxihlc compression members, meansfor simultam-ously cxcrti a tension upon all or said members to compressthe material, means for maintaining said tension, and menus forindependently exerting a tension upon one o1 the members to furthercompress the material adjacent said member.

l. The combination of a supporting member upon which the material to becompressed is placed, a plurality of iicxibic compression members. meansfor securing one end ot' said members, the body portion olf saidimanbcrs surrounding the material, movable members opcratively rclatcdto the free ends of the llexible members, means l'or simultaneouslyadjusting the members to exert a tension upon all of the llcxiblomembers to compress the material. means for securing said movablemembers in their adjusted positions. to maintain the llcxible membersunder tension and means whereby one of said members mziv be t'urtherndjusted to increase the tension of the respective lll-xiblo member tofurther compress the adjacent. portion ot the material,

5. The combination of a support upon which the ma lcrial to becompressed is placed, a plurality o1. llcxihlo compression membersadapted to surround the nmterial, means ior securing one end of themembers, a plurality of drums to which the free ends oi' the members arere spcclivcly secured, means for sinurltaneously rotating the drums towind the members thereon to exert a tension on said members to compressthe material, means for prcventlug retrograde movement or the drums, andmeans whereby one of said drums may be rotated imlcpendently oi theremaining drums to exert it further tension upon the respective llexiblemember.

(i. The combination of a support upon which the material to becompressed is placed, a plurality of flexible compression memberssurrounding the material, means for securing one oi the ends of themembers, a plurality of drums upon which the tree ends or the membersare respcctively wound, means for locking the drums together, nil-ansfor simultaneously rotating the drums to compress the material, meanstor unlocking the drums to permit one or said drums to be independentlyrotated, and means for preventing retrograde movement of the drums T.The combination of a support upon which the ma terial to be compressedis placed, a plurality of llexible compression members surrounding thematerial, means tot securing one end ot the members, a shalt, a drumsecured for rotation with the shat't, a drum mounted loosely upon theshaft. means for locking the last said drum for rotation with the shaft,means tor imparting a differential speed to the shaft, to rotate thedrums to wind the llcxible members thereon, means for releasing one ofthe drums to permit the other drum to be rotated imlepcinlently thereofand means for preventing retrograde movement of the drums.

S. The combination of a support upon which the material to be compressedis placed, a plurality of flexible compress on members surrounding thematerial, means for securi g one end of the members. a shaft, a drum scured for rotation with the shaft. a drum moun ed loosely upon theshaft, means for locking the last s id drum for rotation with the shaft.means for impartinga. differential speed to the shaft. to rotate thedrums to wind the llexible members thereon. means for releasing one ofthe drums to permit the other drum to be rotated inthpendently thereof.and pawl and ratchet mechanism operatively related to the drums forpreventingretrograde movement of.

the drums.

ii. The combination of a support upon which the material to becompressed is placed, a plurality of lexible compression memberssurrounding the material. means for securing one end of the members, ashaft. a drum secured for rotation with the shaft, a drum also looselymounted on the shaft. means for locking the last aid drum for rotationwith the shaft. a gear wheel for re atiing the shaft to wind theflexible members on their respective drums. a pinion gear meshing withthe iirst said gear to impart motion to the shaft, a worm gear alsomeshing with the gear to impart a slower motion to the shaft. means Forpreventing retrograde movement: of the drums, and means for nnlockinetheloose drum to permit the other drum to be rotated independently thereof.

10. The combination of a support upon which the mate rial to beCClllDl't ed is placed. a plurality of llexible conr pression membersurrounding the material. means for so curine, one end of the members. ashaft. a drum secured for rotation with the shaft, a drum also looselymounted on the shaft. means for locking the last said drum for rot: onwith the shaft, a gear wheel for rotat is; the shaft to wind theflexible members on their respec e drums. a pinion gear meshing with thelirst said gear to impart motion to the sha a worm gear also meshingwith the gear to impart a di retrograde movement of the drums. and meansfor unloele ing the loose drum to permit the other drum to be rotatedindependently thereof. the said worm gear being adapted to be moved outof engagement with the gear to permit the latter to be rotated by thepinion gear.

11. The combination of a support upon which the material to becompressed is placed, flexible compr ion mcnr bers surrounding themater-i; means for securing one end of the members. a shaft. a fast anda loose pulley thereon. upon which the respective tlexible members areadapted to be wound. means for locking the loose pulley for rotationrent motion to the shaft, means for preventing.

with the shaft. means for preventing retrograde movement of the drums, agear wheel on the shaft, a worm gear meshing with the gear wheelv torotate the shaft, said worm gear beingadapted to he moved into and outof engagement with the gear wheel, means for rotating the gear wheel ata din rent speed when the worm gear is out of engagement therewith. andmeans for releasing one of the drums to permit one drum to be rotatedindependently of the other drum to cause a further compre sion by therespective c0inpressiou member.

12. The combination of a support upon which the matc rial to becompressed is placed, said support comprising a stationary member. aflexible compression member adapted to be passed around the material, aguide for directing the flexible member under the material. means forsecuring one end of the compression member, means for drawing upon thefree end of the ilexiblc member to cause the same to compress thematerial, and means for maintaining the material under compression.

111. The combination of a frame including a support upon which thematerial to be compressed is placed, said support cotnprisi e spacedchanneled members. a flexible member within each of the channels andextending beyond the ends thereof, said members being adapted to bepassed around the material. means for securing one end of the members.means for simultaneously drawing upon the free end of the flexiblemembers to cause the same to compress the material. means formaintaining the material under compres ion. and means for increasing thecompression of one of aid members independent of the other member.

14. The combination of a frame including a support upon which thematerial to be compressed is placed, said support comprising" s)acedchannel members. allexihle member within each of the channels andextending beyond the end thereof. said members being adapted to bepassed around the material so that the ends thereof will cross, meansfor simultaneously separating the ends of all of the members to createtension thereon to compress the 1natcrial. means for maintaining thematerial under compression, and means for independently increasing thetension of one of rid members to further compress the adjacent portionof the mater il.

in testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification. in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 10th day of March A. D.1907.

'T. F. FOLEY.

Citnesses FRANCIS A. Horxtxs, CnAs. H. Semi.

